From 3 April – 24 April 2021, a pop-up art exhibition, Vaitasa, will be held featuring six emerging Indonesian artists. The exhibition is a collaboration between Cakravala and Aksu, taking place at T Lofts & Co-Living.
There have been many effects of the pandemic, and one seldom discussed is how the pandemic has affected artists. In Bali, the art scene went dark very quickly, as galleries and borders closed, artists found themselves void of an audience.
But isolation and inactivity are breeding grounds for creativity, and for an artist this becomes an opportunity for expression. Inspiration emerges as light through the darkness. This is precisely the theme of the upcoming pop-up exhibition, Vaitasa, which quite literally will bring artists out from the darkness of the pandemic and back into public view, with new art to showcase.
The exhibition is a collaboration between Aksu, a local fashion brand as curators, and Cakravala, a digital platform and gallery for local emerging artists launched back in September 2020. With borders and galleries closed, Cakravala sought to overcome the restrictions of ‘physical barriers’ using technology, capitalising on online mediums to present the voice, story and work of artists to a global audience. They re-enter the physical world with Vaitasa.
Vaitasa will feature: Eko Bintang, Trio Muharam, Mutiara Riswari, Putu Surya Dharma Putra, Prayogo Yoedo and Andre Yoga. These are all young, Indonesian artists who are up and coming in the national art scene, who will present their own eclectic perspectives across a variety of mediums and genres. However, what ties all of these artists together for this exhibition is that all will be showcasing artworks that express their thoughts and feelings through this pandemic.
Viewers will witness a mixture of disciplines, including art, music, performance, conversation and workshops – featuring artists outside of the six featured as well. All of these mediums will bring the audience through juxtaposing emotions: fear and comfort; despair and hope; weakness and strength, instilling balance and connectivity amid distress. This is all bound within the Balinese philosophy of Rwa Bhineda, the idea that opposites must co-exist for harmony, a balance found in duality. This theme is further captured in the idea that despite the difficulties of the pandemic for this artist, it has resulted in new artworks and inspirations. One must exist with the other.
“Vaitasa considers the internal and external psyches of contemporary society,” explains the team at Cakravala. “It seeks to explore and highlight a transformative period of adjusting and finding productivity in the midst of uncertain times. Using art as a form of escapism, the multidisciplinary exhibition features artists from different disciplines to narrate the personal journeys and experiences we encountered throughout the pandemic – working in symbiosis to produce a collection of works that embrace change.”
Vaitasa will be open from 3 April 2021 at T Lofts & Co-Living, and will run for 3 weeks until 24 April 2021. For those unable to view the works in person, a virtual space will go live online at cakravala.com from 10 April 2021.
T Lofts & Co-living, Jl. Pengipian No. 5, Kerobokan, Bali 80361
Instagram: @_cakravala @a.ks.u
Facebook: @cakravala.art @aksuindonesia
